Best Combination Wrenches?

[Cope]

^ ^ Now . . . THAT is the understatement of the century !!!

But you buy once, cry once. If I was starting out buying today, no way could I afford Snap on. I bought most of mine from 1965-68, and though I made less then, the cost seemed more in line. My 1/2" drive shallow set from 3/8" to 1 5/16" cost me $33 off the truck, and my 219-AF 3/8" drive set was $45.

 

[Monte]

here a combination wrench test:
http://wiesemann.eu/_UPLOAD/files/Oldtimermarkt.pdf

 

[bahcoswed]

Stahlwille open box 13-14,Hazet 600n,Facom 440,Snap on FlankdrivePlus! Very expensive wrenches thou(SO costs atleast twice as much as the europeans),but they all play in the same league

 

[Wamsutta]

Cornwell extra-long if money is not an issue.

 

[n8n]

But you buy once, cry once. If I was starting out buying today, no way could I afford Snap on. I bought most of mine from 1965-68, and though I made less then, the cost seemed more in line. My 1/2" drive shallow set from 3/8" to 1 5/16" cost me $33 off the truck, and my 219-AF 3/8" drive set was $45.

True... if you can afford it, other than price, Snap-On doesn't really make any *bad* tools, an all Snap-On box is a safe choice. But the price...!

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[MBLORINSER1]

A

 

[jakemac]

A

For most monkey's that tool would be redundant.

 

[sonvolt]

I have the Wrightgrip wrenches in both SAE and metric, the best bang for the buck

 

[ER70S-2]

Correct answer!

Which wrench organizers are they? I like them better than the Snap-Ons I just got. I also just sent you a PM. Thanks!

 

[TheRobotCow]

Sorry to be a bit off topic but where can you purchase the wright grip wrenches? I tried looking around but couldn't find them.


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[1foxracing]

Which wrench organizers are they? I like them better than the Snap-Ons I just got. I also just sent you a PM. Thanks!

Ernst Manufacturing Wrench Rail Organizers 6015M from Summit Racing, Summit is local to me so I just drove over and picked them up.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/eni-6015m

 

[aaronrkelly]

Ive got a full set of Craftsman and did the same thing you did - wonder what Im missing?

I bought a set of Wrights and a set of Williams. The Williams are the supercombo - basically there version of SnapOn flankdrive - love them.

The Wrights are NOT the Wrightgrip, but regular wrenches. They are also great.

Honestly, price wise.....the Armstrong Supercombos were way cheaper then the Wrightgrips.....and seem to work just as good.

 

[n8n]

Sorry to be a bit off topic but where can you purchase the wright grip wrenches? I tried looking around but couldn't find them.

HJ Epstein's or Amazon for two. Probably could get them through e.g. Grainger but supply houses are never as inexpensive as online it seems.

Don't worry if you want a set Epstein's doesn't have listed, they can get it for you.

 

[n8n]

Ive got a full set of Craftsman and did the same thing you did - wonder what Im missing?

I bought a set of Wrights and a set of Williams. The Williams are the supercombo - basically there version of SnapOn flankdrive - love them.

The Wrights are NOT the Wrightgrip, but regular wrenches. They are also great.

Honestly, price wise.....the Armstrong Supercombos were way cheaper then the Wrightgrips.....and seem to work just as good.

I've heard that the Williams ones are softer than SO or Wright and that the open ends don't work as well. I did however buy a few out of Epstein's clearance section because they're going into a "home use" toolbox for my girlfriend to fill in some missing sizes; for the price (about the same as open stock Craftsman) they're a great buy on clearance. Figure they can't help but be better than Craftsman even if not "the best" (which is what the OP was asking, my answer's still the same, Wright or Snap-On.) I haven't used them hard - only to fix a couple little things around her place - so I can't really comment as to how they stand up to hard use.

 

[T45]

Does anyone have the measurements for the USA wrenches in this pic? I'd like to add them to the tool measurement wiki thread. > http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=275755

 

[Blöckw@rt]

Hazet 600N, Stahlwille Open Box 13 & 14, GEDORE 1B, Facom, Elora, Würth

Nothing more, nothing less !

 

[Fender1325]

Thanks for the videos they were great. I wish the craftsman industrial was in the shootout.
Ive got to say, one critical thing of the wrightgrip, the chrome plating in that comparison picture looks heavier to a fault. The box end looks thicker with less detail around the teeth, and the edges of the open end look softer/more round in comparison to the snap on which seems to have sharper lines and more detail as a result of a thinner plating.

 

[John in OH]

Sorry to be a bit off topic but where can you purchase the wright grip wrenches? I tried looking around but couldn't find them.

Wright Tool is an industrial tool line and, as such, can generally be found in your local industrial or mill supply houses. You'll seldom find them in local hardware or automotive stores.

HJ Epstein's or Amazon for two. Probably could get them through e.g. Grainger but supply houses are never as inexpensive as online it seems.

Don't worry if you want a set Epstein's doesn't have listed, they can get it for you.

+1 I get most of my Wright stuff from HJE, and, as n8n says, if they don't list a particular item give them a call as they are a Wright distributor and can get whatever you want. If you search you can also find other on-line suppliers; such as http://www.crawfordtool.com/ ; http://www.toolup.com/ ; http://www.zoro.com/ and probably others. But, I like HJE the best.

 

[Davefr]

Thanks for the videos they were great. I wish the craftsman industrial was in the shootout.
Ive got to say, one critical thing of the wrightgrip, the chrome plating in that comparison picture looks heavier to a fault. The box end looks thicker with less detail around the teeth, and the edges of the open end look softer/more round in comparison to the snap on which seems to have sharper lines and more detail as a result of a thinner plating.

I'm not sure I agree:

Here's Wright:

Now here's SO:

Maybe it's a function of the production run, but to me the Wright closed end looks like it's machined to a much finer finish with crisp gripping edges.

On the open end Wright's implementation is 5 fine serrations. SO uses 3 wider serrations and a notch. I have no idea which open end is a better design.

 

[T45]

^^^Put a caliper on it an measure

 

[gti]

Facom + Wera/Stahlwille

 

[John in OH]

Hazet 600N, Stahlwille Open Box 13 & 14, GEDORE 1B, Facom, Elora, Würth

Nothing more, nothing less !

Blöckw@rt,

Interesting to note the extended offset box end on the Gedore combo wrenches. I'm not aware of any US manufacture that makes a combo with that large an offset. Do you find it more useful that the "typical" box end offset such as used on the Hazets??

Also, of the six brands you list, all of which may be quite good, surely you have a favorite or one you consider better than the others ????

 

[decaf]

 

[JUNK-MAN]

Snap-On or Mac are the best wrenches, most of mine are Snap-On but I have a hand full of Mac specialty wrenches too. Matco makes good wrenches, I've used them in the past and Williams makes good ones also and if you get used you can go with those brands or some old USA Craftsman's I have some that were my dad's and they've lasted well. I'm sure there are other good USA brands out there but that's all I can think of right know.

 

[Cope]

Snap-On or Mac are the best wrenches, most of mine are Snap-On but I have a hand full of Mac specialty wrenches too. Matco makes good wrenches, I've used them in the past and Williams makes good ones also and if you get used you can go with those brands or some old USA Craftsman's I have some that were my dad's and they've lasted well. I'm sure there are other good USA brands out there but that's all I can think of right know.

I have several sets of Matco from the early 1990s that are good. Box end is not as thin as Snap on, but they are good wrenches. My metric in my big box are almost all Matco, and I have a set of Matco SAE and Metric in my smaller to go box.

 

[Monte]

 

[n8n]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but what does everybody think about SK Combo wrenches? I've seen some RP SK going for cheap.

I love them. I have SuperKromes (they don't make RP anymore) for both SAE and metric, the metric set I got years ago when a buddy found them in the pawn shop, I worked on German stuff, he mostly worked on old Studebakers, so I traded him my C'man RPs for the SKs so he'd have something in case his wife's car needed attention. I beat the snot out of those SKs over the years and still have them, although I retired most of them to a secondary box earlier this year because I lost a couple on a job site. I bought an incomplete newer set that had most of the lost sizes and now the newer ones are my primaries.

Not only are they strong, but the SuperKromes are the most comfortable in the hand wrenches that I've ever used. (NB: the only Wright wrenches I have are the standard finish, not polished.) Also, unless you prefer the look of the European wrenches with the I shaped beams, the SuperKromes are some of the prettiest combo wrenches ever made. (I know, that's a silly reason to pick a combo wrench, but they really are.)

I also have a couple old RP SKs that I either inherited from my grandfather as well as the RP Cman that everyone has at least a few of; at a glance they look similar, but after you use them both for a while, you can tell the SKs are just a little better.

The ONLY reason I did not recommend SK over Wright is because the OP is working on an antique car and as such will appreciate the WrightGrip feature that SK doesn't have. The Wrights are longer as well. (yes, you are following me correctly - I personally use SuperKromes for the most commonly used sizes, but I recommended that the OP buy WrightGrips. If I had to buy a new set of wrenches today, they'd probably be the polished WrightGrips.)

New vs. new, SK and Wright are very comparable in price.

For what it's worth, if you look on HJE's web site, the majority of wrenches that they list are Wright and SK, so that should tell you something!

 

[neuralsnafu]

I don't think anyone has said it yet, but the best combo wrench, is the one that does the job without breaking your knuckles and or wallet...

 

[Fender1325]

The wright sets Ive seen around $250 and the snap on about $350. And thats new. I still prefer the plating and detail in the open end of the snap on in those pictures. Thank you very much for posting them!

Oh and for whatever its worth, My father in law who was a mechanic for 20 years before becoming a contractor swears by snap on - but my point I wanted to make was that he moved from NY to NC and was able to warranty items that were decades old and just worn out - without having to prove anything about proof of sale or being the original owner. He said it does not matter, if its snap on, they honor the warranty.

 

[n8n]

The wright sets Ive seen around $250 and the snap on about $350. And thats new. I still prefer the plating and detail in the open end of the snap on in those pictures. Thank you very much for posting them!

Oh and for whatever its worth, My father in law who was a mechanic for 20 years before becoming a contractor swears by snap on - but my point I wanted to make was that he moved from NY to NC and was able to warranty items that were decades old and just worn out - without having to prove anything about proof of sale or being the original owner. He said it does not matter, if its snap on, they honor the warranty.

Your money, your choice. Snap-On makes great tools, no question, I just think that the bang for the buck is greater with Wright, unless you get a deal on some used Snap-On, and prefer Snap-On (in this one instance, I really don't, although they are still excellent.) Those two I would put in the category of "best" which is what you originally asked about. Would you be happy with SK, Proto, Heyco, whatever as a "step up" from your Cman RPs? Undoubtedly. What/if you end up buying is a balance of value vs. price vs. budget.

Your FIL was probably working on a shop that had a SO driver come by once a week or whatever... and yeah, if you're working in a shop your driver will try to take care of you because he wants you to come to him for your new tool purchases. This is how Snap-On (and MAC, Matco, Cornwell, etc.) built their reputation. However, "by the book" he doesn't HAVE to. I've run into this before; my friend owns a shop in a less than affluent section of town and I think the driver started getting PO'd that some people were warrantying stuff that was obviously as old or older than the people who owned the tools, and he basically said "I'm not warrantying anything you didn't buy from me unless you have a receipt." And according to Snap-On's policy, he's within his rights to do so, although that is the exception rather than the rule, boots on the ground.

 

[bsaint]

Snap-On. Lets all be honest.

 

[Fender1325]

Wow, id be thoroughly angry if snap on did not warranty a hand tool I bought, even if it was used. If it breaks thats what a warranty is for. I wonder if you can do a mail in warranty?

My father in law gave his tools to his son who runs a boat shipping business. He's been able to warranty tools that were older than him and bought in a different state no problems. But Im sure he has a truck come and the guy wants to maintain business.

To me once I start paying over 150 for wrenches Ive taken the plunge into the territory where Im spending considerable money for a tool. At this point Id rather spend the extra 100 and get what is generally regarded as the best, and will outlast me for generations. Thats a good investment.

That being said, I have only worked with craftsman as a weekend warrior, and I have never rounded off a bolt. In those comparison videos, that sized nut would likely never be used to hold that much torque. I would also guess if something was that tight youd generally have the room for a socket and breaker bar.

For now craftsman is ok by me, but in the future I'll invest in snap on. Pinching pennies is fine on tools when you have to - I do it all the time, but I usually end up regretting it in a year or less, and spend more replacing things. The older I get, and if time allows, my experience says buy the best or close to it, and let the tool do the job right and last you.

 

[Scimmia]

To me once I start paying over 150 for wrenches Ive taken the plunge into the territory where Im spending considerable money for a tool. At this point Id rather spend the extra 100 and get what is generally regarded as the best, and will outlast me for generations. Thats a good investment.

The set that's $350 is only half the set. To get a set closer to the Wrights, it'll cost you nearly $700.

Based on your posts, though, that won't matter. This is obviously an emotional issue for you, not a rational one.

 

[Davefr]

Wow, id be thoroughly angry if snap on did not warranty a hand tool I bought, even if it was used. If it breaks thats what a warranty is for. I wonder if you can do a mail in warranty?

SO started enforcing the mail in warranty for "original purchaser only" because guys were sending in buckets full of old rusty g-sale tools. (I really don't blame them).

SO will likely still warranty one or two tools w/o proof of purchase for consumer goodwill reasons but you need to call them first.

Dealers can do whatever they want but most of them give the cold shoulder to random "walk ins" wanting warranty service without an ongoing business relationship. If you walk in the truck with one broken tool and waive your receipt they may help you but it's YMMV.

Cracking down on warranty abuse helps them maintain their everyday low prices

 

[n8n]

Cracking down on warranty abuse helps them maintain their everyday low prices

I really don't blame SO, rules are rules, but damn, that coffee burns the sinuses

 

[erty67]

The Craftsman RPs (usa at least) are great wrenches for someone using as a hobby and not as a professional. I'm had many of mine for 25 years now. Use them right and they last a long time.

 

[Fender1325]

After re-comparing the sets the snap on includes 10 wrenches for wrightgrips 15, so yes, clearly more wrenches for the money. As for the emotional vs rational comment Id say youre wrong. Several tools I own get the job done fine, but Ive also used the better brand that costs about 1/3 more and many times I think, man I wish I spent the extra $ and had that brands version. Chaulk it up however you like, but emotional this is not. It is far less stressful to buy a tool ONCE, and thats it. It does its job and its a joy to use.

What does however make me nervous is researching more about snap on's warranty. It does seem that the guys who get treated fairly are the ones who have a truck dealer coming to them weekly. If Im spending a premium on a tool for the best, I shouldnt need a relationship with an individual to fix it if it breaks. Sears has always been no questions asked - in and out. And its usually on tools that are decades old.

I almost never break tools unless they were really cheap garbage to begin with.

Mine dont have to be snap on, they just have the best reputation as far as quality and the wrightgrip's plating looks cheap to me.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[Cope]

Back in the 70s I asked a Snap on dealer who came to my house if he would warranty a couple of combo wrenches, 15/16" and 1". They were WWII production, painted blue, and were obviously older than me. Both had slightly spread open ends. He gladly took care of them, and although I offered to meet him somewhere, he brought the replacements to my house the next week. Twenty years later when I was a Matco dealer, he owned a shop and became a customer.

 

[Davefr]

What does however make me nervous is researching more about snap on's warranty. It does seem that the guys who get treated fairly are the ones who have a truck dealer coming to them weekly.

Absolutely, that's always been SO's business model.

If Im spending a premium on a tool for the best, I shouldnt need a relationship with an individual to fix it if it breaks.

In the case of SO, you'll need either a relationship or a receipt. That's their warranty terms/process.

Sears has always been no questions asked - in and out. And its usually on tools that are decades old.

Yes, the CM warranty is the best out there. Don't expect other tool manufacturers to offer a similar warranty.

I almost never break tools unless they were really cheap garbage to begin with.

Bingo, buy top shelf tools and forget about the warranty.

Mine dont have to be snap on, they just have the best reputation as far as quality and the wrightgrip's plating looks cheap to me.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Wright has the best chrome out there. Have you actually seen one of their wrenches in person?

 

[apdxyk]

Toolbarn.com for Wright - around 50% off Amazon